


Reconciliation

by Voyager6



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-01 08:48:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 17,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15770670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voyager6/pseuds/Voyager6
Summary: Albedo has a serious problem, and Ben  is the only one he can go to for help.Unfortunately neither of them are happy with the arrangement; at least not at first.Originally published 06/19/2015 on fanfiction.net and adultfanfiction.org and cross-posted





	1. Testing the Waters

He’d faced off against the likes of Vilgax, defeated invasions by both the Highbreed and the Incurseans, and was hailed as a hero on more than two dozen separate worlds. But there was one opponent Benjamin Tennyson could never really defeat. It was this enemy he faced now, one who wore his face and spoke with his voice. He was also the only one Ben could actually bring himself to hate. For the last three years, Albedo had tormented Ben; and each time Ben had defeated him with some difficulty.

“I really don’t have time for this, Albedo,” Ben snapped, “I’ve got work to do!”

“What work, Tennyson, rushing to the aid of people who’ll never know your name; or sucking up to the hero worshiping adulations of the ones who do know who you are?”

That stung Ben, he knew that he had given in to the publicity hounds on more than a few occasions, and it sometimes blinded him to far more critical matters. For Albedo to have hit the proverbial nail so squarely on the head was disconcerting to him. Albedo knew he had struck a nerve with Ben, and he regretted being so blunt.

“I am sorry, Tennyson, that was uncalled for.” Ben was understandably surprised by Albedo’s apology, it certainly didn’t fit with the picture of the arrogant, self-obsessed Galvan Ben had come to expect.

Ben was uncertain what he should say, “Did you just apologize, Albedo?”

“Yes, Ben, I need your assistance.”

“I realize that have wronged you, both now, and in the past; and I have done the same to your allies, Gwendolyn, Kevin and Rook.

Ben was really bowled over by this, for Albedo to have apologized for the wrongs he had visited upon Ben was nearly impossible to believe; for him to do the same for Ben’s teammates was beyond belief.


	2. Explanations

Chapter 2: Explanations

“I have been a fool Ben, I was obsessed with getting the omnitrix again so I could get revenge on Azmuth, and return to my Galvan form, but that isn’t going to happen,” he said with a depressed sigh.

Inexplicably, Ben felt sympathy for Albedo.

“Why should I feel sorry for him?” Ben asked himself, with bitter thoughts about the monster who wore his face.

“Alright, I’ll listen, but don’t expect me to trust you!”

“I understand,” Albedo stated with a level of sincerity that Ben did not expect.

Realizing they were in a rather public place for such a conversation, Ben directed Albedo towards his car, allowing his (near) twin to lead the way; he wasn’t about to turn his back to Albedo.

Once they were seated in the custom-designed supercar Kevin had built for him, Ben asked, “Okay Albedo, what’s this all about?”

Albedo was about to answer when a rumble was heard from his mid-section.

“Tennyson, I realize this is awkward for you but do you suppose…”

“I suppose I could go for a smoothie and some chili-fries, that O.K. with you?”

Albedo’s eyes lit up, when the two-hundred-year-old galvan was locked into the form of a sixteen-year-old human, he gained his likes and dislikes, as well as his personal habits. All of which initially seemed repulsive to his evolved galvan sensibilities. But now after living with them for the last two years, he was starting to appreciate them as well as certain other aspects of being human.

Ben looked over at the passenger seat and noticed that Albedo’s face a flushed a deep crimson color, “What is it,” he asked.

“What is what,” Albedo said, feeling a bit defensive.

“You were just blushing,” knowing that Albedo would try to deny it Ben stopped him with a raised hand; “Your face was just redder than a strawberry smoothie, dude.”

“I just thought of something that was somewhat, I think humans refer to it as…embarrassing. And do not refer to me as ‘dude’ again.”

Almost as an afterthought Albedo added, “Please.”

Again, he managed to surprise Ben; he had always seemed so repelled by his human form that he rarely paid any heed to the social niceties of human behavior.

Ben had a slight smile on his face and said, “O.K., let’s go”


	3. First Impressions

Chapter 3:

First Impressions

Ben pulled up to Mr. Smoothie, and was dismayed to see a mint green muscle car in the parking lot; “Oh shit,” he said under his breath.

“Did you say something, Ben?”

“Kevin is here, and Gwen is probably with him; don’t expect them to welcome you with open arms.”

“I did not believe they would, but I will attempt to apologize to them as I did to you.”

Ben walked into the small restaurant, and saw his cousin and best friend sitting in a booth near the back; he noticed the shock on their faces when they saw who accompanied him.

Kevin was quick to anger and stood up from the table, Gwen pulled him back to his seat “No!” 

He put that aside along with the curious looks from the other patrons when they saw two nearly identical teens walk in. (Aside from differences in their eye, and hair color.)

“This is not the time or the place; obviously, he’s come here with Ben, so he’s not interested in a fight!”

“At least not now.” She added as an afterthought.

“Fine, I’ll listen but I ain’t makin’ friends with that sonofabitch!”

“Hi guys, I guess I should explain, Albedo says he needs help”

This time Gwen was the one to get angry “And you believed him; how could you be so boneheaded Ben!”

“I just said I’d hear him out, not that I trusted him, or that we’re friends.”

 

“We’ll hear what he has to say, but not here, I think we should go to Plumber H.Q.” she replied.

Albedo was not ignorant of the fact that at the Plumber’s base they had all the equipment necessary to restrain him.

As they got to the run-down pizza joint that served as an entrance to the hidden underground base, they were met by a white-faced, purple-skinned alien.

“Hey Rook, I’ve got a few things to tell you about.”

Like Gwen and Kevin, Rook was shocked by Ben walking up accompanied by Albedo.

“Ben, you should not have brought him here, he belongs in prison.”

“I know that Rook, as soon as we hear what he has to say, we can turn him over to the magisters”

Albedo knew that with the Tennysons, Kevin and Rook; not to mention a base full of Plumbers surrounding he had to come clean.

 

<<


	4. Mistrust at the Base

Chapter 4: Mistrust

At the base

As they rode the high-speed elevator down to the base, Albedo felt his nervousness growing. He had only had a few short years to become accustomed to all these new human emotions. Galvans had them, of course but were able to suppress many of them.

When they stepped out of the lift, they were met by Max Tennyson who had very angry expression on his face.

“Benjamin Kirby Tennyson what the hell do you think you’re doing,” Max all but bellowed,

“I told him I’d listen to him, not that I’m giving him amnesty or anything. We’ll hear him out and then if we believe him we’ll see if he can get a parole; if not, he goes back to prison, simple as that.

Let’s just hear what he has to say. Besides I’d rather have him here where we can keep an eye on him instead of out there running around.”

Max was worried about his grandson’s questionable choice, but admitted that Ben had a point. “Alright Ben, we’ll hear him out, but you know what Azmuth and the other Galvans will say about this.”

“Maybe we can turn ‘im over to Blucic and Driba,” Kevin said with bitter sarcasm. Albedo rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath, “Oh no, anybody but those two.” 

“You’re in no position to complain, Albedo,” Max said warningly.

“I understand, and I will comply with your orders.”

 

They escorted Albedo to an interrogation room with two imposing looking guards at the entrance; obviously placed there to prevent any escape attempts. One was a Tetramand (four-arms); the other was an Appoplexian, (Rath). They were two of the most formidable species in the omnitrix, as well as members of the Plumbers.

Ben, though sometimes appearing to be otherwise, was not completely self-centered. In fact, he cared a great deal about the welfare of others; and saw the hurt and almost saddened look on Albedo’s face when he understood level of fear and mistrust he had instilled in these people.

They entered the small interrogation room and the others, including the guards were going to follow them in. “Hang back guys, I’ll be fine, there’s nothing he can do to hurt me anymore, besides the room’s too small for all of us.”

Ben saw Rook, Gwen and Kevin roll their eyes and Kevin cursed under his breath; he also noticed the rising redness in Max’s face, and said, Grandpa remember your blood-pressure, do the calming exercises that ‘Big-Chill’ taught you. And, he reminded them that they’d be able to see everything that happened on the monitors.

 

Max gave his grandson a slight smile and a squeeze on the shoulder and agreed, “Fair enough.”


	5. Demanding a Further Explanation

Chapter 5:

Demanding a Further Explanation

 

“Okay, Albedo now tell me what’s going on here, or I’m going to turn you over to them;” Ben stated sharply while gesturing with a thumb over his shoulder at the door.

Albedo stared glumly at the ceiling, where the cameras were easy to see, the microphones, not so much.

Ben followed his counterpart’s gaze, and immediately understood, “Omnitrix interface with the base computer,” “INTERFACE ESTABLISHED” the watch-like device responded to Ben’s command. “Disconnect audio pick-ups in interrogation 2-A.”

“What the devil does Ben think he’s doing?!” Max asked Gwen and Kevin. 

“I don’t know Grandpa,” Gwen answered him, “But I’ll try to find out;” her eyes glowed a deep violet color as she reached out to try and touch her cousin’s mind.

 

He had picked up a few tricks from Gwen and their grandmother over the years, he was one quarter Anodite after all; that coupled with abilities he got from the omnitrix enabled him to sense and eventually block his cousin’s mental probe.

His own eyes briefly flashed blue, and she staggered backwards a few paces. Max, and Kevin and Rook looked at her with concern. “What is it pumpkin,” Max asked her.

“Ben’s blocking me, whatever he and Albedo are going to discuss; he doesn’t want to let anyone else in on it!”

 

“Alright we’re alone, now spill it, Albedo; you mentioned needing help.”

“Yes, Ben…you’re sure we can’t be heard?” Ben rolled his eyes and sighed, “Yes, Albedo they can see us but can’t hear us.”

“We Galvans are more like the fish and amphibians of your world than most of us would care to admit, Benjamin,” Albedo tried to explain his predicament to Ben.

“Meaning?”

” It means that we have a biological impulse to return to our birth-place in order to reproduce. It also means that if the gender diversity of the population is unequal, males can take on female reproductive traits; or vice-versa.”

 

Ben was still a little confused, “So that still doesn’t explain what you want me to do.”

 

“I need someone with whom I am genetically compatible, I am no longer Galvan nor am I fully human. And lest you forget I am banished from my home-world never to return

“And….”

“And there is only one being in this galaxy, possibly in the entire universe with whom my genes are compatible.”

 

Those outside saw the look of shock that came over Ben’s face as the true meaning of Albedo’s cryptic explanation hit him; and they were about to charge into the room when Ben looked at the two-way mirror and shook his head.

“You can’t be serious about this, Albedo”

“Yes, Ben I’m afraid I am.”

“First off, we hate each other, second we’re both guys, how can you possibly expect that to work?”

“I never hated you Ben, I was jealous that you had been given what I thought was rightfully mine. I know that you already produced offspring as a Necrofriggian and I also know of your relationships with the Yamamoto and Green females, and the Tetramand and Kraaho princesses, and I know none of them amounted to more than friendship.”

“I also know that you have, from time to time, you have felt an attraction to Levin.”

Ben was feeling really transparent at this point, and wished he could see a way out of this conversation.

“Have you been spying on me, Albedo; how do you know so much about my personal life?!”

“The short answer is yes.”

“And the long answer?”

“I needed to know about human mating practices, and ever since the ‘incident’ four years ago, I have been understandably interested in you specifically. If I was going to replace you, I had to know everything about you.”

“That doesn’t exactly inspire me with confidence, Albedo,” Ben said, dryly.

“Perhaps not, but the fact remains that if I cannot procreate, I will expire.

Ben turned white as a sheet and he started to feel faint, without warning, he vomited and passed out.

Outside those watching the monitor saw Ben faint and charged into the tiny interrogation room. “What did you do to Ben,” Gwen shouted, and it was up for grabs whether Max or Kevin would be the first to get their hands around Albedo’s throat.

“Guys wait,” Ben said weakly; he came to just in time to see his grandfather and best friend about to throttle his alien doppelganger, “he didn’t hurt me, he just really surprised me.”

“Ben, what happened, Gwen asked him.”

“That’s going to take a little time to explain.”


	6. What to Do

Chapter 6

What to Do

“Ben, what happened, what did he say to you,” Gwen asked as Max, Kevin and Rook looked down at him with concern. He was lying in a bed in the base infirmary. “It’s kind of tough to explain, but…Albedo needs to reproduce, and he says that I’m the only one who’s genetically compatible.”

“Of course,” Rook said, “The Galvan mating drive!”

“What’s that,” Kevin asked.

Max offered the explanation “Galvans are compelled to find a compatible mate when they reach the age of 200, which would correspond to the human age of 20, which Ben is about to reach; but Ben you can’t trust him.”

“I don’t trust him, but is he telling the truth, that if he doesn’t reproduce, he’ll die?”

Ben looked at his grandfather and partner, who looked at each other; “Yes, Ben,” said Rook.

“And, he said that in extreme circumstances, two male Galvans, or two females can have an offspring; is that true?”

Max and Rook again shared a glance; “That I do not know Ben,” Rook told him.

“The Galvan haven’t been very forthcoming with all the details of their biology, Ben,” Max said.

“There are two Galvans on the staff here at Plumber’s HQ,” Gwen reminded them, “we could ask them.”

 

“Why do need to know about Galvan ree-production,” Driba asked.

“Let’s just say something’s come up, and this could be important,” Max told him.

“We do have to mate every two hundred years, and we will die if we don’t,” Driba’s partner, Blukic told them.

“And can two males have offspring,” Ben asked.

The two Galvans shared a glance, before Driba answered, “Yes.”

Ben paled and felt like he was going to vomit again; Kevin saw him wobbling on his feet, and immediately moved to support him.

“Ben, there’s no reason for you to get involved with this,” Max said.

“But if Albedo is right, and he’ll die if I don’t…”

“Ben, you don’t owe him anything,” Kevin barked sharply.

“Yeah, I know, would you all mind giving me some time to think about this?”

“We’ll be waitin’ in the lounge, Ben,” Kevin said; and looked at Ben with an unusually concerned expression.

He gave Kevin a weak smile, and a nod, “Thanks, Kev.”

Ben sat there, once he was alone to mull over what exactly he was going to do about Albedo’s request.

He had never questioned that he was straight, but he had also never questioned that he would help anyone who needed it; that instinct had doubled since he first got the omnitrix.

It was a conundrum that he’d have to consider very carefully.

 

 

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	7. Tough Decisions

Chapter 7

Tough Decisions

 

Ben sat there, alone for almost an hour. Why was this so difficult a decision to make? After a while, he left the small infirmary and went to his private quarters.

He certainly wasn’t in love with Albedo, was he? He also couldn’t imagine having a child with him. If it were physically possible for him to have a child with another man, assuming he actually wanted that, Ben had to reluctantly admit to himself that it probably would be Kevin.

At the same time, he had the drive to help anyone who needed it. A knock came at his door, and he stood up and went to answer it. He was expecting to see Gwen, Grandpa Max, or Rook; to Ben’s considerable surprise, Kevin stood there. He had an expression that was unusual for him, he looked confused, and upset.

It certainly wasn’t the ‘rebel without a cause’ look Ben had come to expect from his best friend and confidant.

“What’re you gonna do,” Kevin asked him. Even though he had little in the way of formal education, Kevin was incredibly intelligent and insightful, and he could see that Ben was torn by the decision he was faced with.

“I really don’t know, Kevin,” Ben admitted, which like Kevin’s display of concern was unusual for him. He always acted self-confidant to the point of seeming cocky. But he really wasn’t feeling it right now.

Another knock came at the door, “Kevin do you mind getting that, it’s Gwen.”

Without bothering to ask how Ben could’ve known that, Kevin left his seat and answered Ben’s door.

“Ben,” she said moving over to him and giving him a hug, “You can’t be seriously thinking about what Albedo has asked.”

“I don’t know what to think, Gwen. I’ve never thought about raising a child with another guy; and even if I did it wouldn’t be him.”

“Then what’s the problem Ben, seems pretty cut-and-dry to me,” Kevin stated.

“The problem Kev, is what if I don’t agree to this, and Albedo really will die?”

“So?”

“So, I couldn’t just let someone die if there was anything I could do to prevent it!”

“Ben, why are you so concerned about him?” Gwen asked.

“I don’t really know, but I feel like his ‘condition’ is in some way, my fault.”

“How is it your fault,” Kevin asked angrily.

“Because if I had never gotten the omnitrix, he wouldn’t have been jealous and tried to create his own version of one. Then he wouldn’t have been locked in human form when it didn’t work. And that is what put him in this predicament.”

“All of which are his issues to work out, not yours,” Max said, upon entering the room.

Ben respected and loved his family, and valued their opinions, but after much soul-searching he had made up his mind.

He got up from his seat and went to the door, “Where are you going,” Gwen asked.

“I’ve got somebody I have to talk to.”


	8. Road Trip

Chapter 8

Road Trip

Ben walked into the hangar where he found Rook working on his ship. The base had plenty of qualified starship mechanics and technicians but like Kevin, Rook preferred a ‘hands on’ approach. “Hey partner,” Ben said waving a friendly greeting.

“Hello Ben, have you made up your mind about what you will do?” 

“Geez does everybody already know about this?” Ben asked.

“I believe Mr. Bauman has yet to receive any knowledge of this.”

Ben smirked at Rook’s attempt at humor; Revonnahghanders didn’t typically make jokes, but Rook’s exposure to human culture in general, and Ben specifically over the last three years was teaching him the value of a good sense of humor.

“You have a couple of weeks of leave coming up, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do, why?”

“I have a few people I need to go and see.”

After they had packed and were boarding the ship, which was being fueled for their journey, they heard a shout from across the hangar. “Ben, Rook wait for us!”

They looked up to see Gwen and Kevin striding towards them carrying a few hastily packed bags.

“If you’re going off-world, we’re coming with you,” she said, and her tone indicated that she would accept no arguments.

“Guys you really don’t have to come with us,” Ben told them.

“Whenever you go somewhere without us you manage to get yourself into a world of trouble,” Kevin said, only half-jokingly.

 

“My ship will be cramped with four people aboard,” Rook told them.

“We can take the RB-3, it’s got plenty of space, plus sleeping berths,” Kevin replied.

“So where exactly are you planning to go,” Gwen asked her cousin.

I want to go to Anodyne and talk to Grandma Verdona, and then, even though I really don’t want to do this, I have to talk to Azmuth so we’ll be heading for the Galvan system.

Ben and his three friends got clearance for take-off from Plumber control and lifted into the sky with Kevin at the controls and Rook at the co-pilot’s station.

The four of them were a bit surprised to hear Max Tennyson’s over the cockpit speakers, although in hindsight, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise.

“Where do you four think you’re going?”

Knowing that he could never try misdirection, and especially not tell an outright lie to his grandfather, Ben said “We’re going to try and find Grandma Verdona, and see what she thinks about all of this; and then I’ve got to talk to Azmuth, most likely he somehow already knows what’s happened, and he’ll come here to yell at me before we can get to him.

“You’re probably right about that Ben,” Max replied, and then said, “Alright, good-luck and give my best to your grandmother.”

“Can do grandpa,” Ben said into the mike, “I’m signing off now, we’ve cleared the main shipping lanes and we’re about to make the jump.”

“Okay kids have a safe trip.”

“Alright, next stop Anodyne,” Kevin quipped, “Here we go.”

He pulled on the throttles and the ship jumped into the blurry mottled lines of hyperspace travel. Since they were members of the Plumbers, they had access to vehicles and technology centuries ahead of most earth-made tech.

After four days, they reached the approximate location of Anodyne, although they couldn’t actually find the planet. The Anodites valued their privacy and used their abilities to disguise their entire world. Ben was glad Gwen had come with them, while she was only a quarter Anodite, she should still be able to locate their world, and her abilities in that regard were far more developed than Ben’s own.

She said, “I think I’ve got it, Kevin bear ninety degrees to port, and down ten degrees.”

“You sure Gwen,” he asked skeptically; “No I’m not sure,” she sniped back. “I’ve only tracked people by their mana a handful of times, and never anyone with as overwhelming a presence, or as good at disguising it as our grandmother.”

As it turned out they didn’t have to look at all; a blueish purple flash appeared in the main cabin.

“Hey kiddos!” Verdona exclaimed.


	9. Annodite and Galvan Perspectives

Chapter 9

“Annodite and Galvan Perspectives”

Verdona said, “So I understand you’ve quite a difficult choice in front of you.”

Ben asked, “How could you know that grandma,” she replied “I read it in your thoughts when you entered orbit.”

“What do you think I should do?”

“The Anodite way has always been to achieve what gives you joy, the human way has always seemed to be to harm each other.”

“That isn’t true grandma,” Gwen replied “People for centuries have been making sacrifices for others.”

“In fact, Grandpa Max told us the story of how you and he met, he risked everything to rescue you,” Ben said.

“That’s true, but he was a man with very special qualities and I suspect that you two have inherited that from him.

“I know this is a hard choice to make, Ben it may mean making a lot of sacrifices, not least of which will be your self-respect if you have to endure going through yet another male pregnancy.”

Ben’s face paled, Gwen and Kevin thought he was going to puke and pass out again he wobbled unsteadily on his feet.

“But if you can help this other fellow Albedo, you should.”

“Albedo why should that name sound familiar?”

Another flash appeared in the ship’s lounge and there stood the creator of the omnitrix himself, Azmuth.

“Ben Tennyson, you must not do this, I won’t allow it.”

“And I won’t allow you to interfere with my grandson’s decision, Azmuth.”

“Verdona, it has not been long enough,” Azmuth retorted suddenly sounding weary.

“What is your involvement in this matter?”

“I just told you Ben and Gwendolyn are my grandchildren!”

“And I ask again, what is your involvement?”

“And here I thought you were the smartest being in umpteen galaxies, but I guess there are some things beyond even you,” Verdona replied hotly.

“Anodites are well known as undisciplined, overly emotional sensualists with no sense of order,” Azmuth replied in a similar tone.

“And Galvans are uptight little stick-in-the muds with no soul that think too much and never feel enough.”

A wall of violet manna sprang up between the two and a towering figure sheathed in the same metal as the ship’s hull stood there ready to intervene.

“Grandma, Azmuth, that’s enough! This bickering won’t help Ben!”

“Besides,” Kevin said angrily, “Thanks to you two carryin’ on, he ain’t even here anymore.”

“He transformed into Big Chill and took off about five angry sentences back.”

“I hope you two are happy,” Gwen said, showing no sign of calming down.

Azmuth and Verdona looked at each other guiltily, “I’m sorry, honey, I shouldn’t have behaved like that, Ben’s got a hard-enough task ahead of him he doesn’t need me adding to his troubles.”

“And I, indeed many in the Galaxy owe Ben Tennyson a great debt. He has done better with my omni-matrix than I could have ever hoped. Possibly better than I myself could have done.”

He has always used it to help others, and now it seems he will do so again even if it is Albedo. All I ask is that Albedo’s activities be closely monitored while he’s in your custody.’

“We were planning on doing that anyway, Azmuth we may just be lowly humans, but we ain’t stupid,” Kevin said with more humor than he actually felt, “Now let’s go get Ben back.”


	10. Making the Choice

Chapter 10

“Making the Choice”

Ben had hoped to get some good advice from his grandmother and Azmuth and had no idea that they had a history.

As it turned out they each had laid out the choices he already knew he had.

This whole trip was turning into a big disappointment, he phased through the hull and sat outside pondering his options for a while. In this form, he was able to live without benefit of a spacesuit in vacuum for a short time.

They had both made their opinions clear, even though Azmuth’s sounded more like an order than an opinion. But Ben knew that for all his thorny exterior, Azmuth actually did care what happened what happened to him.

He noticed the omnitrix flashing, it wasn’t because it was about to time out but because someone was trying to call him. Of course, out here, no sounds could be heard. Decision made, he phased back through the hull.

“Ben,” exclaimed Kevin and Gwen. She clasped him in a hug, while Kevin clapped a hand on his shoulder, “Don’t ever do that to me again, Ben.”

“To you, Kevin?”

“I... I meant us,” Kev said quickly trying to back pedal.

Gwen cocked her eyebrow in that particular way she had when she didn’t quite believe someone.

“I’ve decided to go back and help Albedo with his problem, and I know you guys each have problems with idea, so let’s hear ‘em.”

“I still think he’s trying to manipulate you Ben,” his cousin said, “You shouldn’t trust him.”

“Gwen is right Ben, Albedo cannot be trusted, and you must not attempt to create a Human/Galvan hybrid with him” said Rook.

“I think you guys are overlooking the real issue here,” Kevin said, now adding his two cents, “To make this whole thing happen, if it’s even possible, Ben is going to have to sleep with Albedo!” 

“We don’t actually know if that’s what’s going to have to happen, Kev.” Ben explained, hoping he was right about that.

“It could be something as simple as a blood transfusion, right Rook?”

“I am not sure, Ben.”

“Well, when we get back to Earth, I’m going back in there to talk to him and find out exactly what he needs me to do, and I won’t disable the mikes this time. Everyone will be able to see and hear what’s happening.”

“So, you have made your decision Ben Tennyson,” Azmuth said, once again appearing out of nowhere.

“I haven’t decided anything yet, Azmuth,” Ben explained, “But I think I am going to give Albedo the help he needs.”

“I expected you would Ben, that is why I have asked your companions to carefully observe all of Albedo’s behavior while he is with you, if his doing anything that could be harmful to you they are to intervene.”

“Alright fair enough Azmuth.” With that the creator of the Omnitrix once again disappeared.

They landed back in the hangar at the Plumber’s base a few days later, and were greeted by Max Tennyson.

“Grandpa,” Gwen and Ben exclaimed rushing to him. Even though they were now young adults, every moment with their grandfather was a gift to be cherished.

“Grandpa, I’ve decided, I’m going to help him.”

“Are you really sure about this Ben?”

“I am, Grandma Verdona and Azmuth actually got into an argument over this but eventually they saw eye to eye, sort of.”

 

“I’ve decided to give Albedo the help he needs, if he needs to reproduce to survive, and if they’re my kids, so be it.”

“Alright Ben I’ll arrange Albedo’s transfer to a Plumber safe house well outside of town. It’ll have security measures, you’ll be able to come and go but he won’t.”

He looked to his team-mates, Gwen and Rook were nodding their heads yes; Kevin shook his head no.

“Sorry, Kev but my minds made up,” Ben told him.

“Fine just watch your back”

“I will Kevin”


	11. How is This Supposed to Work

Chapter 11

How Is This Supposed to Work?

“Just what is it you need me to do, Albedo?”

“I would have thought, that your age you would already know about, what is the quaint euphemism used on this world, oh yes the birds and the bees.” 

Ben rolled his eyes and said in an exasperated tone, “Of course I know about it,” but I was hoping that I could just, I don’t know make a ‘donation’.

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Tennyson, believe me I wish it was.”

“I really wish it was.”

“So, you’re saying that you and I are going to have to…”

“That is affirmative, Tennyson.”

For the second time that day Ben felt faint and passed out.

When he came to he realized that Albedo had managed to relocate him to one of the bedrooms in the small safe-house and he had placed a cold compress on Ben’s forehead. Ben had to admit he was surprised that Albedo hadn’t tried to remove the omnitrix and escape. ‘It’s only because he needs my help so badly,’ Ben thought ruefully.

Sensing another presence in the room, he turned to his left, Albedo had pulled a chair close to the bed and was about to place a fresh compress on Ben’s brow.

“You stayed here,” asked Ben skeptically.

“Of course, I stayed Tennyson, I’m not the inhuman monster you think I am.”

“Well actually technically I’m not human,” he quipped with a sense of humor that he wasn’t really feeling.

“You know, Tennyson this fainting business is becoming a habit with you,” he said; Again, in a slightly mocking tone.

“I’ll try to remember that,” Ben said in the same tone.

“You feel up to eating something?” Albedo asked him.

“I-I think so,” Ben said and moved to leave the bed when he realized he was only wearing his black tee-shirt and boxers.

“Um Albedo, where are my pants,” he asked, mortified.

“Don’t worry, nothing happened, I just wanted to make sure you’d be comfortable,” tossing Ben his jeans.

“I’ll be in the kitchen, you can join me there once you’ve got yourself situated.”

“I’ll be right there,” he said with a slight smile.

As Albedo left the room Ben found himself pondering his actions and thought, ‘I wonder if he really is changing for the better.’

He also thought ‘Maybe this enforced confinement won’t be so bad, maybe in time I’ll even come to accept the rest of it.’


	12. Are You Ready For This, Ben?

Chapter 12

“Are You Ready for This, Ben?”

 

“I can’t believe I’m really going to do this,” Ben texted Gwen and Kevin, but I did promise to help him.”

“You never promised to do this with him,” an angry text from Kevin came back.

Tired of typing in everything he wanted to say, Ben hit the speed dial and called Kevin.

“Kev, I know how much you’re against this idea, but he is going to die if I don’t!”

“Let ‘im die then!” was the reply.

Ben looked at his phone in near shock; he couldn’t believe the hate-filled tone in Kevin’s voice.

The call waiting beep was heard on the line, and Ben said “Hang on Kevin, Gwen’s calling, I’m going to conference her in.”

Before Ben could greet his cousin, Kevin said, “Gwen can you please help me convince him that this is a terrible idea!”

“Ben can be as stubborn as you are, Kevin, you know as well as I do that once he’s made up his mind nothing’s going to change it.”

“But, Ben,” she added, “you do understand what you’re going to have to do to make this happen.”

“Yes, Gwen, I know that Albedo and I are going to have to ‘get together,’ and even though I’m not completely O.K. with this, I’ve agreed to do it.

He heard whimpering from Albedo’s room and went to investigate; “Gwen, Kev, I’ll have to call you back”

“Ben wait,” Gwen managed to get out before Ben shut off his phone.

After he got off the phone, Ben walked into Albedo’s room where his counterpart was napping fitfully and gently shook him.

Groggily, Albedo came to, and for a moment panicked, he thrashed in his bed and gave Ben a right-cross.

“Good morning to you, too,” although it was actually about ten o’clock at night, Ben said rubbing the bruise forming on his left cheek.

“Sorry Ben, I was having a nightmare, I meant you no harm, at least not this time.”

Again, he said it with the same dry wit he had used earlier.

“Good to know, Albedo,” Ben said noticing that despite his humor, his counterpart was sweating and trembling.

Knowing he’d have to get over his squeamishness eventually, he moved to sit beside Albedo on the bed and put an arm around him.

With similar hesitation Albedo reached up and gently placed his hands on either side of Ben’s face and pulled him into a nervous kiss. It was just a light peck at first, gradually becoming deeper and more passionate as they each grew more confident.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Ben?”

“As ready I’ll ever be.”

With a slight smile, Albedo said dryly, “You could put a little more enthusiasm into it.”

Ben smiled back and pulled Albedo into another kiss as he began to undress. Albedo took a moment to really look at Ben; it seemed as if he were really only seeing him for the first time. He had light but firm and well-defined muscle not to mention a few scars, doubtless from battling aliens all these years. His skin was smooth and hairless, except for under his arms, a light dusting of soft brown hair on his legs, and a trail of darker brown hair leading from his navel to below his waistband. Albedo quickly followed suit and undressed as Ben reached over to switch off the bedside lamp

Five weeks later they were back at Plumbers headquarters pacing nervously while awaiting the results of blood tests.

Gwen, Kevin, Rook and Grandpa Max were waiting with them, but were not quite as anxious.

They looked up when the door opened and a Kinceleran (Xcel-R-ate) walked into the room with her long tail swishing behind her, she had a data pad in her hand.

“Well, Doc, what’s the verdict,” Kevin asked her.

Ben and Albedo each looked at Kevin with slightly annoyed expressions but secretly they were glad he had been the one to ask the question.

“It worked,” the alien physician told them “Congratulations Ben, you’re going to be a father, Albedo is pregnant.”

For the third time in as many weeks Ben fainted, but this time Albedo followed suit.

(A/N: I know many of you wanted and even expected it to be the other way around but this is the way I intended it from the beginning)


	13. Another Surprise

Chapter 13

Another Surprise

Three more weeks had passed and Albedo’s stomach had gradually started to grow larger; and it wasn’t because he had been over-eating. However, he had been craving some decidedly strange things, such as raw liver. However, according to his mother and aunt, even by human standards, that was a weird pregnancy craving.

In that time, Ben had gotten very close to Albedo, he wasn’t in love with him, exactly; he was just feeling protective because Albedo was carrying his child. Wasn’t it?

He was thinking absently about all these things as he ran soccer drills in the small fenced-in and force-field protected back yard of the tiny safe house.

The house had no front yard that could be observed by the casual passer-by.

He had left the back door open so he listen for any alarming sounds coming from within. ‘There I go again, feeling so protective of him; this is more than a little strange.’

‘First a former enemy comes to me and asks for my help. Then I let him talk me into sleeping with because he says he’ll die he can’t reproduce, it’s all so strange.’

Ben was drawn out of his inner monologue by groans and the sounds of vomiting, followed by dry heaves coming from inside the small house.

Immediately he stooped to pick up his ball and started at a brisk trot towards the house.

Ben tried to come to a halt, then slipped and fell into a puddle of vomited material on the previously immaculate linoleum floor.

Albedo sat in the corner shivering, sweating and sobbing.

He looked up and saw Ben sitting in the disgusting puddle and looking very foolish.

Immediately his tears turned into laughter, “Oh thank you Ben, I needed that; I am sorry, I am not usually this emotional.”

Ben who was also starting to chuckle said, “You’re welcome now come on let’s get this mess cleaned up then hit the showers. They soon had the kitchen back in order, though Ben did most of the work when he told Albedo “Not to push himself too hard.”

‘Stupid over-protective instincts,’ Ben again thought to himself he was only feeling this way because Albedo was carrying his child, right; he didn’t really care about him, did he?

They ‘hit the showers’ which was just a figure of speech, since the small house only had one bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom but could be accessed via another door into the only other bedroom.

Ben had graciously allowed Albedo to have the larger of the two rooms, he didn’t mind, and then went into the secondary bedroom to undress.

Albedo was already undressed and looking at himself nude in the full-length mirror.

He was staring at his increasingly large belly, and was the tissue beneath his pecs starting to grow as well?

He was startled out of his thoughts by Ben’s scared shout from the other room, “Albedo get in here, hurry please!”

Albedo grabbed a pair of boxers, pulling them on as he stumbled into Ben’s room.

Ben was standing there in his own boxers staring down at his own stomach with an ashen face. There in Ben’s belly was a barely noticeable bump. Albedo had a similar bump which prompted them to rush him to the Plumber’s hospital eight weeks ago, that was when they discovered that their experiment in inter-species reproduction was a success.

“Come on we’re going to get you dressed and get you to that Plumbers hospital!”

“Albedo you don’t think….”

“I don’t know what to think, where are your keys, I do not think you’re in any shape to drive.”

“P-pocket of my jeans,” Albedo found the keys and the tossed Ben the pants.

He stayed until he was certain Ben needed no help and then left to finish dressing himself.

They drove in silence for the hour it would take to get there, in this car they could of course get there much more quickly, but they were compelled to obey the fifty-mph speed limit unless it was an emergency. Which this certainly qualified as, at least in Albedo’s mind.

But Ben had insisted that they obey they traffic laws.

The extra travel time had allowed the both them both time to think about this.

Since that first time they had coupled which was only for a purely practical purpose as far as Ben was concerned; so, Albedo could procreate otherwise he’d be dead by now.

But they had repeated the act twice more since then once with Albedo as superior, once with Ben as superior; it all depended on how they each felt at the time.

They were each dreading what they’d find once to the got to the Plumber’s hospital.

But the reality was that they didn’t really need to see any test results to know the truth.

 

A/N: I hope that satisfies all those who wanted a Benpreg story although I had originally intended this to be strictly an Alpreg story.

I needed to figure out a way to take this story from being not one or the other but a fusion of both.

I hope you like my solution to the problem! :)


	14. Suspicions Confirmed

Chapter 14:

Suspicions Confirmed

The tests confirmed exactly what they both instinctively knew, Albedo was carrying Ben’s child, and Ben was carrying Albedo’s.

“For the record, what is the full name we should put on Mister….um, Albedo’s file, the nurse asked.

Albedo looked at Ben, his super-sharp Galvan mind once again completely useless when faced with such an unexpected set of variables.

Ben, being human, didn’t, and couldn’t plan for every possible outcome and so had to improvise, from time to time.

“For right now let’s just say his name is Albedo Tennyson.”

 

Albedo looked at ben with new-found respect and fondness, ‘He’s helped me, against the advice of his family, and now he’s giving me his name, I truly have underestimated the depths of his compassion.’

“Are you sure Ben? That seems to be what your culture would consider a ‘big step’.”

“I know that Albedo, it’s just for the hospital’s records though, so it isn’t a big deal, right?”

“If you say so,” was Albedo’s answer, short and to the point.

“Okaay,” the nurse agreed with more than a little skepticism.

No sooner had Ben finished dressing then Max Tennsyon burst into the room accompanied by Gwen, Kevin, and Rook; as well as Carl and Sandra Tennyson.

“Mom, Dad, what’re you guys doing here?”

“Your grandfather called and explained what had happened, your father and I didn’t completely understand it, but we didn’t have to. We knew our boy would need us,” Sandra told him.

Carl added, “Well, Ben your mother and I always looked forward to being grandparents, but we never imagined it would happen this early, and certainly not this way.”

“Yeah, Dad it isn’t exactly the way I planned on becoming a father, either.”

“You must be Albedo,” Sandra said to her sons near twin.

“Y-yes, I am Mrs. Tennyson,” he said nervously, wondering just how much she and her husband knew about his history with Ben.

I must say you really are the spitting image of Ben, except for your eyes and this, giving his silvery white hair a rubbing. Oh, and by the way, you can call me mom.

“Very well, mom. I honestly did not expect you to be so accepting of this ‘situation’ or of me.”

“Whatever else we may think Albedo, the fact remains that you’re carrying our grandchild,” Carl Tennyson told him, “A little unusual, maybe but we’ve learn to expect the unusual since we found out about the Omnitrix and Ben’s role in the larger universe.”

“We know you two have a ‘history’ and that you haven’t always gotten along; but we have a saying ‘it’s water under the bridge;’ so let’s try to put that all behind us.”

“Albedo do you have any family that should know what’s happened? We can ask Ben’s Grandfather to try and get in touch with them,” Sandra helpfully put in.

“No, Mrs., I mean ‘mom’ I have no family to speak of, in fact you could say that Benjamin, and therefore you and your spouse are the closest things I have to family, anymore.”

“Well then welcome to the family, Albedo Tennyson,” Carl beamed, clapping a hand on Albedo’s shoulder.

“Th-thank you, Mr. Ten…; Dad,” Albedo said, with a nervous smile.

Just then the Kinceleran doctor re-entered the room and told them, “I don’t need to keep them here, these two are free to go, but I will need to see them for follow up visits every two weeks until they are ready to deliver. Which should be in about four months’ time for you Albedo, with Ben delivering in six months.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Ben said, and then told his parents, “Mom dad we’ll be in touch, but for now grandpa thinks we should stay at the safe-house.”

Knowing Ben’s parents would insist on take the boys home with them; Albedo added “It is probably for the best, at least until the young ones have arrived.”

With a tearful farewell from Ben’s mother, they headed back to where Albedo had parked Ben’s car and headed back towards their temporary home.

“I am amazed that your parents were so accepting of me, and of us undertaking this…rather unusual enterprise.”

“Yeah, mom and dad are special that way, let’s head for home, it’s a long drive and I’m starving.”

“As you wish, Ben,” Albedo said, but it was said with a slightly mocking tone and a smile.

He looked over at Ben and they both began to laugh


	15. Problems

Chapter 15

Problems

As the weeks passed, Albedo’s stomach swelled quite a bit. Ben’s had also grown but was still smaller.

They had frequent visits from Max, Kevin, Gwen and Rook. Ben’s parents were also regular visitors.

These visits didn’t happen at the safe-house, but at a designated meeting site. It was to ensure that no uninvited guests could find their way to Ben and Albedo’s temporary home.

Azmuth also appeared from time to time; most likely to ensure that Albedo was ‘behaving’ himself.

The sensation of nausea had passed for the most part, but they each occasionally felt like throwing up, usually when one of the babies decided to practice an ‘acrobatic routine.’

Today they were headed for the secret plumber’s hospital for their routine checkups, they didn’t take Ben’s car though. It was increasingly uncomfortable for Ben and especially Albedo to sit in the tight confines of the small sports car.

Besides Max felt that for security’s sake, they should travel anonymously and sent an unmarked, windowless and armored van to pick them up at a hidden underground entrance to the safe-house.

When they were about halfway there Albedo suddenly doubled over in pain and looked up at Ben with an anguished expression.

His emerald eyes met Albedo’s ruby ones and Albedo could see the deep concern and empathy there.

“What’s wrong,” Ben asked, to which Albedo replied, “I do not know, I am feeling intense pain in my abdomen.” 

Ben asked their driver, “How far are we from the base?”

“It’ll be at least thirty to forty-five minutes in current traffic conditions.”

“I can get us there faster,” Ben said to the driver and Albedo.

“No, Ben,” Albedo winced, “Using the Omnitrix to transform now could be dangerous for you and the baby.”

“I would tend to agree, sir,” the driver said.

“Omnitrix, contact Rook Blonko,” Ben spoke into the watch.

“Com-link Established.”

“Yes Ben, what can I do to help,” asked his partner.

Albedo is ill and in a lot of pain, we’re en route to the Plumber’s hospital but stuck in traffic. I need you to lock on to my coordinates and pick us up. We’ll get there a lot faster if we can fly.”

“I am sorry Ben, but I am off-world on assignment at the moment, and will not be back on Earth for several days.”

“Can you not transform in a being with the power of flight, Ben; for instance, Big Chill?”

“The risk may be too high since I’m pregnant.”

Ben still couldn’t quite believe it, even as he said it.

“Ah yes of course, then there are two options have the plumbers send an aerial transport or have them teleport you and Albedo to the hospital.”

Good ideas Rook, thanks. I’ll see you when you get back to Earth.”

“Alright, Ben, good luck to you, and to Albedo.”

“Omnitrix establish a new com-link to Plumber’s HQ.”

“Link Established.”

Much to Ben’s dismay Bluckic and Driba were the ones to answer his signal.

“I need you to let me talk to my grandfather,” Ben told them without preamble.

“I am sorry Benjamin, but Magister Tennyson is in a meeting and doesn’t want any disturbances.”

“Then let me talk to Pateliday,” Ben said with an exasperated tone while rolling his eyes.

“Magister Pateliday is in the same meeting with Magister Tennyson.”

“Well I need immediate transport from my current coordinates to the Plumber’s hospital.”

“Only one the magisters can authorize a non-emergency transport on such short notice.”

“Look, you pint-sized peons this is an emergency, and I’m using my personal authority as the wearer of the Omnitrix, to okay it. So, make it happen, right now or you two are going to find yourselves out of a job by this time tomorrow!”

“Well if you’re going to get nasty about it, teleportation commencing.”

“Good luck, sirs,” said their driver as they vanished in a flash of shimmering light.

Plumber technicians met them in the control room as they arrived.

“Call the infirmary tell them we have an emergency patient incoming,” Ben ordered.

He wasn’t normally this assertive and the ‘take-charge’ type; he generally preferred to be a team player and play things by ear and improvise when he could.

But this was an exceptional and highly unusual situation.

The techs retrieved an anti-grav gurney and they helped Ben get Albedo onto it.

At this point he was in too much pain to walk any farther.

As the physicians at the Plumber’s base examined Albedo, Ben paced nervously. Grandpa Max, Gwen, Kevin and Rook waited with him.

The doctors conferred amongst themselves and then one of them went to the isolation door that separated the examination room from the rest of the facility.

I’m afraid the news isn’t good Ben, one of the doctors spoke into the intercom.

“What’s the problem?” Ben asked desperately.

“Albedo is dying, the changes in his body necessary to allow a pregnancy have interfered with his metabolism; he is in effect overheating.”

“Then what’s the solution?” Max asked, since his grandson couldn’t speak at the moment, Gwen put her arms around him as he silently wept.

“He must have the baby now.”

“But he’s not at full term yet, he’s supposed to have another two months,” Ben protested.

Albedo will die if doesn’t have his child now,” the doctor again stated.

“What are the baby’s chances,” Carl asked.

“Approximately 50/50, Human and extra-terrestrial hybrids are always uncertain. We will need to keep the child in isolation for several weeks after the procedure, at least.”

“Will the same thing happen to Ben?” Sandra demanded to know.

“It is very possible ma’am,” the Kinceleran doctor said.

“Omigod, Carl we could lose our boy!”

Ben spoke up, “Do it doctor, save my child and save Albedo, please.”

“We’ll do our best Ben.” The physician replied. Ben left Albedo’s room and asked Azmuth, “Tell my mom what she wants to know.”

 

“It is probable that the physician was correct Sandra Tennyson, however now that we know what to watch for, we may be able to take precautions in Ben Tennyson’s case that we could not for Albedo.”

Sandra nodded tearfully and Carl thanked Azmuth before going to be with their son.


	16. Risky Proposition

Chapter 16:

Risky Proposition

After some time being consoled by Sandra and Carl Tennyson, Ben went into Albedo’s room after checking first with the doctors to be certain it was alright.

“Yes Ben, but try not to disturb him too much, we’ve sedated him as much as we dare, but he’s still in a lot of pain.”

“Ben are you sure you don’t want us to come with you?”

“Yeah, dad I want some time alone with him, we need to talk.”

Ben entered Albedo’s darkened hospital room “Albedo, you awake?”

“If I wasn’t, did you expect that I would answer?”

Ben heard the pain in Albedo’s voice, despite the sedative the doctor said he had given him; but also Albedo’s typical acerbic wit.

“Man, Albedo you’ve got acid for a sense of humor.”

“It…it’s served me well so far,” said with a wince of pain

“I may be a lowly human, but I did pick up on that, at least once or twice.”

“So I assume you are here because you know the situation.”

Ben sighed and said “Yes Albedo, they’ve filled me in, I told them to do whatever it takes to save you and the baby.”

“Just the same, I thought I should ask you how you feel about it.”

 

“You were correct Ben, but regardless of what happens to me, he or she is the one that must be saved.”

They had declined to find out the gender of either of the children, Ben’s or Albedo’s since they wanted it to be a surprise.

“Are you sure, Albedo if the baby dies, it’ll be tragic and neither of us are going to be able to get over it any time soon; especially you. But at least you’ll live and maybe have another chance.”

“No Ben,” Albedo said again wincing as another pain shot through his abdomen.

“You remember me saying that we Galvans are more like the amphibians of your world than we’d care to admit?”

“Albedo is this really the time to re-hash that conversation?” Ben asked impatiently.

“Ben you must understand, please hear me out.”

“Many of those species only have one chance to reproduce, so it is with Galvans.”

Seeing the concerned look on Ben’s face Albedo quickly added “We don’t expire after reproducing like many of those species but we do only have one chance at this.”

“Save our child Ben, please, what happens to me is secondary.”

“I never thought I’d hear my self say this, Albedo but what happens to you is not secondary, at least it isn’t to me.”

“Ben, please!” Albedo said again, but this time it sounded more like a demand than a plea.

“Alright, alright try to stay calm, at least as calm as you can be under the circumstances. The last thing we need now is for you to get yourself so worked up that you miscarry.”

“I’ll let the doctors and everyone else know what we’ve decided.”

Ben stepped out of Albedo’s room where Gwen, Kevin and Rook, Grandpa Max, Ben’s parents and Frank and Natalie Tennyson, Ben’s aunt and uncle were waiting nervously.

“Well, Ben,” Max asked the question on everyone’s mind.

“We know that there are dangers involved but Albedo wants to go through with the surgery and I agree with him.”

“Alright,” the chief surgeon said, “If you’ll all wait outside we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

He turned to his nurse, and said let’s get Albedo prepped and into O.R.”

“Azmuth could you assist in case there are unforeseen complications?”

“Of course I shall.”

Once out in the waiting room everyone else decided to go to the cafeteria for something to eat, but ben was going to wait here until they knew something.

“Do want us to bring you anything, honey,” Sandra asked her son.

“No thanks mom, I won’t feel like eating anything until this is over.”

“Are you sure son, it could be quite a while.”

“Yeah, dad I’ll be fine but thanks.”

The rest of the family walked away but it was impossible for Ben not to notice the concerned looks on all of their faces.


	17. Asking a Big Favor

Chapter 17:

Asking a Big Favor

“Have you heard anything, yet?” Gwen asked, for what seemed to be the millionth time.

“No Gwen, I haven’t heard anything yet, and if you keep asking I’m going to go nuts.”

“I’m sorry Ben, this is all new to me.”

“And you think this is all ‘old news’ to me?!”

“I might be about to become either a father, or a widower!”

“Wait a minute, Ben are you sayin’ that you and Albedo got married,” Kevin asked.

“No Kev, I’m not saying that, but in a few months I’ll be in the same situation as he’s in so from my point of view it seems like the right thing to do!”

“There is one thing more,” Ben added, “We know that there might be only a slim chance of Albedo surviving this, and the same may be true for me.”

“Ben, don’t talk that way!” Gwen snapped.

“Gwen just listen!” Ben almost shouted while at the same time feeling a mild stab of pain in his belly.

“If the babies survive this, but Albedo and I don’t, I want you and Kevin to raise them.”

“I also want you to try and talk Azmuth into passing the Omnitrix on to one of them, if he sees fit.”

“Ben do you know what you’re askin’,” Kev asked him.

“Yes, Kevin I do know what I’m asking; and also I know I’m depending on the right people.”

Kevin and Gwen each heard the plea in Ben’s voice, and it tore them apart.

Gwen was Ben’s cousin, but she had come to relate to him as his sister.

Likewise, even though they had begun their relationship as people on opposite sides of the law, Kevin couldn’t imagine his life without Ben as part of it. 

“Guys will you do this for me please, If Albedo and I are unable to raise our kids I can’t imagine two other people I would rather ask to do the job.”

“Ben, if you didn’t know the answer, would you be askin’,” Kevin asked him.

“No, Kev,” Ben replied.

“I’m in.” Kevin said simply.

“Ben I would have done it if you hadn’t asked,” Gwen said.

“Thank you both,” Ben said, as he began to cry, “I’m sorry guys, it’s just the hormones.”

“Of course it is Ben; of course it is,” Gwen told him as she put her arms around him while Kevin put a hand on his shoulder.


	18. Miracles

Chapter 18

“Miracles”

Three hours later, Ben had fallen asleep and was softly snoring. He slept fitfully, frequently whimpering when a bad dream struck him. Sandra, Carl and Max stayed with him the whole time; Frank and Natalie had gone home for the evening, and Gwen, Kevin and Rook came and went, checking in with Max for every hour that they couldn’t be here.

Ben groggily came around from his restless nap in a spare room in the small hospital when someone gently shook him. “Ben, Ben are you awake?” Max Tennyson’s soft voice filtered through the sleep induced haze. “Hmm?”

“Oh yeah grandpa, I’m awake, is there any news,” he asked suddenly wide awake.

“Well, Ben,” Max said with a shaky voice, “There’s good news and bad news.”

“You’ve got a new daughter, but Albedo didn’t survive the procedure.”

“Oh no, I’ve got to see him, I need to see both of them.”

“Now Ben try not get yourself worked up,” Max cautioned him.

“No, Grandpa, I have to see them!” Ben snapped, angrily. Ben rarely lost his temper, and never raised his voice to his grandfather.

“Alright Ben, but please try to stay calm.”

Ben walked into the room where Albedo’s form was just barely visible in the dim light, lying very still. In a small incubator beside the bed a small form was squirming. Ben walked over to the bassinet and looked down at his newborn daughter.

With tear fill eyes Ben reached in and grasped the tiny hand of the 3-pound girl, and wished that he could pick her up then together they would walk over to the bed where Albedo was lying. His face was peaceful, more so than Ben had ever seen it. When Ben had first met Albedo, three years ago; this face had an almost constant expression which was a strange combination of anger, arrogant smugness, and fearful paranoia. Now it looked as if he were sleeping and having a very pleasant dream.

Ben didn’t know any Galvan prayers, or even if they prayed at all; so he quietly said a prayer that so many children on this world learned early in their lives: “Now we lay him down to sleep, and we pray the Lord his soul to keep. If he dies before he wakes, we pray the Lord his soul will take.” Ben felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Gwen standing there with tears streaming down her cheeks. “That was beautiful Ben, and so is she,” as she peered into the incubator Ben wasn’t surprised by her reaction to the tender moment; what was surprising was Kevin. He was standing in the dim light away from the bed trying to make himself invisible as he dabbed at his eyes and blew his nose with a handkerchief.

“Kev,” Ben asked, “you okay?”

“Yeah Ben, just allergies, that’s all, there’s somethin’ about hospitals always does this to me.”

“Of course I’m sure that must be all it is; thanks anyway buddy.”

“No problem, bro.”

The tender moment between this small family which nine years ago when the Tennysons first met Kevin, would have been completely out of the question; was interrupted by an unexpected but very welcome beeping sound. The heartbeat and respiration monitors where still hooked up to Albedo, and they were coming back to life.

And that had to mean that he was still alive!

“Gwen, see if you can pick up anything from his mind, Kevin get grandpa, Azmuth, and the doctors.”

“I think there may have been more than one miracle today!”


	19. Resurrection

Chapter 19 

Resurrection

Azmuth, Max Tennyson and the physicians quickly accompanied Kevin back to the room where Ben and his cousin stood next to Albedo’s bed.

Gwen placed her hands on Albedo’s forehead and her eyes glowed violet as she probed Albedo’s mind. “I’m getting something, but it’s fuzzy, undefined.”

“Ben can you give me some help?”

“How?”

“Your manna is more in tune with Albedo’s than anyone’s, no one stands a better chance of reaching him than you do.”

Ben took the hand Gwen held out and his eyes started to glow blue, “I can sense him, Gwen but like you said it’s undefined, like looking at something through a fog.”

“Try to reach out and communicate with him, Ben,” Gwen’s disembodied voice said.

“Albedo, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Ben I can hear you, what of the child?” 

“She was born prematurely, and is in an incubator, but she’s beautiful and the outlook is hopeful.”

“That is good, th-thank you, Ben Tennyson.” 

The last words Albedo thought to Ben seemed like a thin whisper.

Their connection was broken, and Ben blinked a few times to remind himself that he was still here in this darkened godforsaken hospital room.

“Gwen, why did you break the connection?!”

“I didn’t break the connection Ben, it was like we drew him half-way out of a coma, and then he slipped back into it.”

“That is essentially true, Gwen Tennyson,” Azmuth said.

“What do you mean, is he alive?” Ben demanded to know. He surprised himself once again by just how concerned for Albedo, his own personal ‘evil twin’, he was feeling.

“Yes, Ben Tennyson, he is alive, and in a hibernation cycle.”

Knowing that he’d have to explain, Azmuth patiently reminded himself that humans quested for knowledge, but by Galvan standards they were children, and Ben, his cousin and Kevin were children by Human standards.

But these three were special, the omnitrix chose Ben, despite it being meant for Max; and Gwen discovered her Anodite abilities far sooner than was expected. Kevin also had gained almost full control of his Osmosian abilities in spite, or perhaps because of his disadvantages.

“In times of intense physical or emotional stress our bodies will go into a hibernative state, like some animals on this world. It is more than sleep, but less than what you’d call a coma.”

“I think that’s what has happened to him.”

Kevin grew outraged, “And you didn’t tell Ben or anyone else this could happen, what good is bein’ the smartest guy in the galaxy if you forget about the people you say are yer friends!?”

“I did not know this could happen, his physiology is more Human than Galvan now, I had no way of knowing if Albedo would recover.”

“Alright, I get it, would everyone mind just leaving now, I’d like to be alone with my daughter, and Albedo, if he does eventually wake up.”

Before leaving, Gwen hugged Ben and said “All my hopes, Ben.”

Gwen walked away and Kevin clapped a large hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“Don’t go all domestic on me now dude, just because you’re a dad.”

“I don’t think there’s much chance of that happening Kev, but thank you for sticking by me, I know that this has been hard on you too.”

“Yeah,” Kevin said, then walked away. Ben pondered his best friend’s actions until he heard a burbling sound coming from the nearby incubator.

The baby was starting to come to life, thank God.


	20. The Beginnings of Family Life

Chapter 20

The Beginning of Family Life

Hours passed and Ben had fallen asleep in the other, vacant bed in the small hospital room. It was increasingly difficult for him to get comfortable, with the ever growing bulge in his belly, but eventually exhaustion took hold.

Ben woke to the sound of the baby crying, it was cut off rather suddenly. Alarmed by the abrupt silence, he rolled over and with some difficulty managed to sit up.

The sight that met him was unexpected, to say the least.

Albedo was sitting up, he had removed his shirt and was holding the baby close to his chest.

“Albedo, what are you doing,” Ben asked.

“Feeding her, what does it look like?”

“You can do that?”

“Evidently,” Albedo replied, “It’s as much a surprise to me as it is to you.”

“Don’t try to do too much, too soon; you’ve just been through surgery and childbirth.

The baby evidently satisfied, released her grip on Albedo’s nipple; he weakly handed her to Ben before falling asleep again.

Ben placed the baby, who they had decided to name Azmea, back into the bassinet and was about to return to his own bed, but then on a whim crawled into the small hospital bed beside Albedo. The conditions were cramped, these were only intended for one person, but Ben felt the need to be close to Albedo right now.

Kevin came to the door of the hospital room and knocked, he got no response, and never being one to stand on ceremony opened the door and walked in.

“Ben, you awake?”

The sight he was met with was a shock to him, Ben was lying in the bed alongside Albedo.

‘What is he doing,’ Kevin wondered with a mixture of anger, and though he hated to admit it, jealousy.

‘Why should I be jealous?’ Kevin asked himself, ‘It’s not as if I wanted to raise a child with Ben, or that we’re anything more than friends and bros, right?’

A soft cry came from the incubated bassinet, Kevin walked over to it and marveled at this tiny wonder.

“Hey, there, I’m your dad’s best bud; well one of your dads, anyway. You can call me Uncle Kevin, when ya learn ta talk, that is.” He placed his hand awkwardly on the back of his head and realized how silly he must have seemed.

A hand fell upon his shoulder, and turned to see not Ben, but Albedo standing there.

“Should you be up Albedo, you’ve just been through childbirth and surgery.

Even as he said it, Kevin could scarcely believe it.

“I’ll be fine Kevin, thank you for accepting what has happened.”

“I ain’t accepted it yet, but Ben will always do whatever it takes to help someone who needs it, and I’ll always do whatever it takes to help him.”

“You are truly a good friend, Kevin Levin, Ben chose well; I am sorry I never realized this before now.” 

“Don’t sweat it, dude, now get back to bed, before you break your stitches or somethin,” Kevin smirked.

“Yes, sir,” Albedo agreed with a similar smirk.


	21. Trouble on the First Day Home

Chapter 21

Trouble on the 

First Day Home

After another week, the doctors at the secret Plumbers hospital the doctors certified that Albedo and the Baby, who they had named for Azmuth, were fit to leave the hospital and go home; with the provision that return in two weeks for a follow up. The armored transport dropped them at the hidden underground entrance and the driver asked them if they needed any help getting upstairs. Albedo was still a little weak and Ben got easily fatigued these days but they said that they could manage.

Ben entered his security code to call for the elevator up to the back yard of their home away from home. “Here we are Azmea,” Ben said cheerfully as they stepped off the elevator platform. Immediately Albedo sensed something was wrong, Ben was still cooing over the baby; but quickly picked up on the sense of urgency.

The armored back door was open, in fact the supposedly impenetrable material was caved in and scorched.

Ben was about to move forward to investigate and handed the baby to Albedo; who held him back, “No Ben, you’re in no shape to confront anyone who may still be here as you are and you know that you can’t use the omni-matrix at the moment. Besides Azmea’s safety is of paramount importance.”

“You’re right, omnitrix signal for the elevator to return and contact Rook Blonko and Magister Max Tennyson, emergency code BT-Alpha-One.”

“Acknowledged,” the device replied in an electronic facsimile of Ben’s voice.

“Yes, Ben what can I do,” Rook’s voice came from the omnitrix, follow by Max asking “Ben what’s wrong?”

“Someone’s been here and managed to bypass security and break into the safe-house.”

“I want you to send a security team here immediately, grandpa, we have to check this place over and find out who they were and how they got in. Oh and grandpa, if Gwen’s available I’d like you to send her to give the place a once over.”

Within five minutes, Max and Gwen Tennyson, Rook and Kevin materialized outside the small house and Ben went to them.

“I’ve used the scanners in my car to take a look inside, near as I can tell no one’s in there.”

Gwen’s eyes glowed violet as she did a psychic scan of the building and she got more than she bargained for.

Gwen cried out in fear at the terrifying impressions she received from their surroundings, left behind by whoever had broken into the house.

She came to a few seconds later to find her friends, particularly Ben, Kevin, and her grandfather looking down at her with deep concern.

“What was it pumpkin?” Max asked.

“Grandpa, it was Vilgax, he was here, he’s the one who broke into Ben and Albedo’s house.”

Ben and Kevin, Max, Rook and Albedo each dropped their jaws and stared at her with expressions of fear that mirrored her own; and the baby began to wail, sensing the fear and shock emanating from her family.


	22. Lockdown and Debts of Honor

Chapter 22

Lockdown 

and Debts of Honor

Max had Rook rush Ben, Albedo and the baby back to Plumber’s H.Q. and place guards around them 24/7; then ordered Cooper, a young Plumber he and his grandchildren had met eight years ago to begin an investigation. Cooper used his uncanny ability to ‘communicate’ with technology to operate multiple scanning devices simultaneously. Max wanted the now not-so-safe house gone over with a fine toothed comb millimeter by millimeter.

Pierce strode up to Max to report, “I’ve got a preliminary report, sir.”

“Go ahead what has your team found?”

“The first thing we did was confirm that what Gwen sensed was Vilgax.”

“And?” Max asked but he was already pretty sure he knew the answer; “Cooper found Chimeran DNA, but that wasn’t all.”

“Go on,” Max insisted, growing more worried and impatient by the minute.

“There were also traces of Sotoragian DNA,” Pierce continued with a small sigh, that implied that EightEight, one of her brothers or all three of them were here.

Rook walked up to Max and Pierce, “I have confirmed what Pierce and his team have found Magister Tennyson.”

“This was done by several members of what you could call Ben’s ‘rogue’s gallery’; I believe Sunder may also have been here.

Some of the color drained away from the faces of Gwen & Kevin who had just returned. They had heard about half of the awful litany of bad guys who were after Ben or Albedo, or both of them. Worse yet if they had even the slightest clue about the birth of Ben’s daughter they would be after her.

“Magister Tennyson, we must get Ben, Albedo and the child off-world; Vilgax, in particular, would not hesitate to destroy the Earth just to get the three of them.”

“The question is are they workin’ alone; or do these bad guys want Ben so bad, that they can put aside how much they hate each other another?”

“Leave it to you to always look for the silver lining, Kevin,” Max said wryly.

“It’s what I do best,” Kevin said. He tried to put a slight smile on, but secretly he was extremely worried about Ben’s safety. Ben had seen some redeeming quality in Kevin when no one else did.

That little bit of faith had saved him. Kevin owed Ben his life several times over for that one small act of kindness.

Now if it came down to it, Kevin, and all the others here would make good on that debt to protect Ben, his daughter, and Albedo


	23. The Second Arrival, Happiness and Jealousy

Chapter 23

The Second Arrival

Happiness and Jealousy

Just as they got settled into their second new home in as many months, Ben cried out in pain and clutched at his stomach.

"What's wrong?" albedo asked, though he had a fairly good idea of what the problem was.

"Let me guess, we have the newest member of our little 'family' on the way."

"Yeah, I think so."

Albedo got on the com-system and contacted Max Tennyson; who answered expecting it to be Ben.

"Albedo, what's going on, why are you contacting me on this frequency?"

"Magister Tennyson, I believe it is time."

"Time, what do you mean time?"

It quickly dawned on Max Tennyson exactly what Albedo meant by 'it's time', and said,"I'll order a medical team to your quarters immediately."

"Thank you all possible speed would be appreciated."

Within ten minutes Ben was loaded onto a zero-gee gurney and rushed off to the base infirmary, wincing in pain every few steps, and even occasionally stifling a cry of pain. Albedo followed with Azmea in a portable bassinet, even here in what was possibly the most secure location in this part of the galaxy, he didn't feel safe leaving her in the care of anyone else.

Albedo became annoyed when guards stopped him at the entrance to the infirmary, "You may not enter," one of them said.

"Why not," Albedo demanded, "The future of my child is being decided in that room!"

The guard a Vaxasurian, what Ben called Humungosaur replied, "I know who you are and what you've done, Albedo; you poisoned the atmosphere of my colony, making it unlivable. My sister died in the evacuation."

Albedo swallowed nervously as he looked directly into the eyes of the eight-foot tall reptilian towering above him.

"I can only apologize, and place myself at your mercy," Albedo said kneeling, still nervous, but nevertheless unafraid to meet his fate.

"Listen Albedo Galvan," the Appoplexian now joined the conversation, "It's only because of your relationship with Ben-10, and we don't want to punish innocent children for your crimes that my partner and I don't take bets on which of us gets to rip you apart."

"I-I understand," Albedo stammered, for the first time in this encounter he began to feel some fear.

The conversation was cut short by Ben's cry of pain which could be heard even through the thickly armored door.

I will attempt to make amends to you and your peoples, some day, somehow, but for now you must please let me past, I must be in there; Ben needs me, my child needs me.

The Vaxasaurian and the Appoplexian stood their ground a moment longer, then stepped aside and pressed the controls to deactivate the electronic lock allowing Albedo access to the delivery room.

He moved to Ben's side and grasped his hand, the Kinceleran physician had injected his abdomen with a local anesthetic, and the pain was still there but now becoming tolerable.

"A few more minutes and we shall be able to start the procedure," the Kinceleran (X-cel-ar-ate), told them.

"Would you like to learn the gender of the child?"

Ben and Albedo had wanted it to be a surprise with Azmea, and wanted to do the same with Ben's child.

"No thank you, doctor," Ben gasped as another contraction hit him.

The Kinceleran doctor said "It is time, Albedo I must ask you to remain outside from this point until we have completed the procedure.

Albedo couldn't say he was looking forward to waiting outside with those formidable and intimidating guards for what could be the next several hours, but understood the reasons; this area must be made completely sterile and kept that way while the procedure on Ben was taking place.

A number of hours later, Ben was out of recovery and awake, he asked to see Albedo and the new baby.

They were escorted back to Ben's room by Kevin, with Albedo carrying Azmea, and a technician pushing a portable incubator, which contained their newborn son.

"How do you feel," Albedo asked Ben; who groggily replied, "Like I've just had a C-section, how do you think?!"

"Yes I'm sorry Ben, I meant it rhetorically; remember it was only two months ago that I had the same experience."

"I know Albedo, I'm sorry; it's just that I'm really out of it right now, in kind of a bad mood, and in a lot of pain; despite the fact that they've got me pumped full of painkillers."

I've brought something, or should I say someone who may make you feel better.

Albedo gestured for the technician to bring the incubator close to the bed. "Ben may I present your new son, Azmea this is your brother," he told the infant he was holding, she was, of course too young to understand anything he was saying, yet.

"Have you decided on a name, Ben?" Albedo asked him.

"Yeah but I wanted to pass it by you and grandpa first, before we make official."

"Well what is it," Albedo asked becoming impatient;

"Max Tennyson the Second, I also like Kenny Tennyson what do you think?"

"Who is this Kenny Tennyson," Albedo asked knowing that Ben wanted to name the child after a member of his family.

"He's my cousin, and Gwen's brother."

"I think that shall be a fine name, that settles it, Kenny and Azmea Tennyson shall be the names of our children."

"Do you mean that Albedo?"

"Yes Ben, I do."

If Ben could've risen from his bed to hug Albedo he would've; outside at the door, Max, Gwen and Kevin had overheard the conversation. Max and Gwen smiled with happiness and pride. Kevin had mixed emotions, on the one hand he felt slightly jealous of Albedo, that he was able to have this kind of relationship with Ben. On the other hand he was extremely happy for his best friend and surrogate brother; it could get confusing sometimes.

It would take Kevin some time to sort it all out


	24. The Second Attack

Chapter 24

The Second Attack

Albedo had just finished feeding and changing the babies and then helped Ben clean his stitches to avoid an infection when an alarm sounded. The space station rocked with several hits from weapons fire. Kenny and Azmea began to bawl, while Ben and Albedo feverishly worked to calm them.

Ben made his way to the intercom panel and keyed for the central control, Max Tennyson answered, “Ben we’re under attack, it looks like Vilgax and the same band of cronies that trashed your house.

“What defenses do you have in place, Grandpa?”

“Enhanced Galvan shields over a tritanium outer shell to the base, plus a full contingent of plumbers including the group that you personally trained.”

“Against those guys you know that might not be enough, I’m on my way up.”

“Ben you’ve just been through surgery and given birth, I don’t think…”

“I’m not letting them get their hands on my children, grandpa, the omnitrix will let me heal faster than I could otherwise if I transform.”

“One more thing grandpa, can you send a squad of guards to my quarters, a squad that you have absolute trust in, no one else; and have that little item I asked for waiting for us when we get there.”

As Albedo and Ben approached the command center they could hear the flurry of activity as the plumbers feverishly worked to defend the base.

“Ben,” Max and Kevin both said as they walked over to the pair, “We still think you two ought to sit this one out.”

“No way Grandpa, Kev, I am NOT letting those creeps get their hands on our kids, if saving them means I don’t make it, then so be it.

Max and Kevin, even Albedo looked at Ben; stunned by the ferocity in his voice and the depth of his conviction.

Rook had just returned to the control room after securing the babies and also witnessed the encounter; like the others he was also stunned by Ben’s aggressive tone.

Since coming into possession of the omnitrix he had defeated many adversaries but he had never reacted with such anger. Of course until now he hadn’t been a father protecting his family.

Max handed him a spherical container with a sealed computerized lock.

Albedo recognized it immediately, “That’s a Galvan high priority transport module.”

“It took some doing, but I got Azmuth to send this for you; believe me he was nearly impossible to convince.”

The station rocked under another barrage of fire, but their defenses were holding for now.

“Put this on quick, you’re going to need it.”

“What is it,” Albedo asked; Ben told him, “It’s the prototype omnitrix, the one I wore when I was ten. It doesn’t have full capabilities, but it’ll still be useful to you.

“You’re letting me have an omnitrix; I can’t believe Azmuth would agree to this.”

“It wasn’t easy to convince him, but when I made him see the importance of letting us have all the tools we would need to protect the children at our disposal he finally relented.”

“I thought Levin was the ‘smooth fast talker’ in our little family,” Albedo quipped just as the space station rocked with another round of heavy weapons fire.

“Yeah, well if you hang around with Kevin long enough you pick up a few things,” Ben shouted over the sound of explosions; they could also hear the babies bawling, even in the confines of the most heavily armored and well protected part of the station.

Ben and Albedo were torn between joining the defense and going to comfort their daughter and son, as any parent would.

In the end, they both agreed that if the invaders broke through the defenses, all the comfort they could provide to their children right now wouldn’t mean much.


	25. The Seige

Chapter 25

The Siege

Eight-Eight and her brothers, Seven-Seven and Six-Six were the first of their attackers Ben’s team; which consisted of himself, Albedo, Gwen and Kevin met. The battle was fierce, but ultimately over quickly. They’d dealt with them enough times to know how to defeat the weapons built into their armor. Besides the three Sotorragian siblings didn’t really get along well enough to cooperate for very long.

The self-proclaimed ‘Plumber’s Helpers’ Pierce and Helen Wheels, and their friend Manny came around a corner just in time to see Kevin ripping the last of Six-Six’s armor apart and the grotesque mutant go scuttling for cover. They were all humans with extra-terrestrial ancestry; just like Ben and Gwen with their Annodite grandmother and Kevin with his Osmosian father.

Pierce and Helen were an adopted brother and sister and both had mixed ancestry. Helen’s biological father had been Kinceleran* and her mother had been human. Pierce’s father had been human and his mother had been half human and half Hystrician* Manny, their best friend and teammate, had one Terran parent and one Tetramand* parent, though no-one was sure of which was which.

They appeared winded with a few bumps and bruises but none the worse for wear, otherwise.

“You guys O.K.,” Kevin asked, somewhat out of breath. “We aren’t down and we totally ain’t out of this one,” Manny replied. Helen wasn’t so sure and rushed over to where Gwen was helping Albedo support an apparently wounded Ben, clutching his side.

“Omygod, Ben! What happened?” Helen asked.

“One of seven-seven’s shrapnel darts hit me in the side; fortunately, I was Diamond-Head at the time and it didn’t hurt.” He whispered.

“But now that you’re human again, you’re going to bleed to death, unless we can get you to the infirmary,” Gwen said from behind him and Helen.

“But I’ve got to help with the defenses, and save the kids,” Ben protested.

“No buts Ben,” Kevin added “you ain’t gonna do anyone any good if you’re dead!”

“They are right, Ben we can’t look after you and face our attackers at the same time!” Albedo added.

Ben looked around at his friends, his family and agreed that they were right; he allowed Helen to help him down to the infirmary, deep in the core of the station where it was safest. This is where the babies had been taken under guard. At least from here, Ben would be able to keep an eye on them and follow the progress of the fighting while his wounds were attended to.

Back in the corridor Ben and Pierce’s teams were engaged in some heavy fighting with the little troglodyte miners known only as pickaxe aliens that served as minions to the loathsome Detrovite criminal, Vulkanus. Along with Vulkanus’ troops was a motley array of horrendous mutant animals being controlled by the twisted scientist, Amino and the incompetent but aggressive Vreedles.

Ben, furiously wished he could be up there, but he knew his friends were right, his injuries would be translated into any of his alien species, diminishing their effectiveness as fighters.

He just loathed the idea of anyone else getting hurt or worse because of him.

He turned his attention back to the nanobots repairing the injury to his side and attending to the babies in the next room crying wildly at the sounds of fighting elsewhere in the station.

He just hoped Gwen, and Kevin, Pierce, Helen and Manny; and of course, Grandpa Max and Albedo, along with all the plumbers came through this okay without him there to help.

As it turned out he needn’t have worried, because unbeknownst to him, Grandpa Max and Azmuth had arranged for some “special” and completely unexpected help.

A spray of immensely hard crystals and organic projectiles tore through Vulcanus’ forces and Animo’s creatures; while a pair of immense mechanical fists pummeled the Vreedles into submission.

Vulcanus wasn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he knew when he was beat and made a hasty exit; Animo was, at heart, a coward and without his mutant army to fight for him he also quickly retreated. The Vreedles were even dumber than Vulcanus, and they continued to fight despite that they were clearly outmatched but they were quickly beaten. 

Gwen, Kevin and Albedo along with Pierce’s team and the squad of Plumbers troops that they commanded realized that the were victorious for now, and could take a breather.

Tetrax, seeing a fellow Petrosapian* was at first elated but then he noticed the tell-tale red eyes. “Gwen, watch out; he is not what he appears to be, that is Albedo!

“No, Tetrax, it’s alright, Albedo’s on our side now in fact he and Ben have started a family together.”

Realizing it would take more time to explain than they really had right now Kevin said “Long story, we’ll fill ya in later.”

Albedo now reverted to his human form, eyed the Hi-Breed towering over even Tetrax with suspicion equal to that with which Tetrax viewed him.

Albedo also noticed that something seemed out of place about the creature, his right hand seemed to be made of a greenish material, different from the remainder of his form.

“Albedo,” Gwen told him by way of introduction, “This is Reinrassic the Third, seventh son of the noble Hi-Breed House of Deralla; and the current leader of the Hi-Breed Imperium

Just getting the whole name out left her out of breath and panting a bit.

Kevin looked at the tall, young Latino man perhaps 18-20 years old (roughly Ben’s age) standing there, his huge mechanical fists were now reverted to normal human appendages. “You must be Rex, I’ve heard a lot ‘boutcha from Ben from Ben, but I never expected ta meet ya; what’re you doing here?”

Rex replied, “This little gray 1-foot nothing dude with bug-eyes just showed up and said my amigo Ben need help and that he could open a portal and bring me here, so here I am”

“I was also contacted by the Galvan, imploring me to assist; I owe Ben-Ben Tennyson much so I too came,” said the Hi-Breed.

“Tetrax, what made you show up,” Helen asked him.

He told her “Ben and Gwen’s grandad contacted me by subspace radio and asked me to lend a hand, so here I am.”

Gwen and Kevin, Pierce, Helen and Manny looked at each other then back at their unexpected allies and smiled; There looked like there might be a light at the end of this tunnel after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *X-cel-R-ate’s species
> 
> * My term for the porcupine-like species we’ve seen at least twice (Porcupine in Ben-10 “Grudge-Match” and Pierce in Alien Force “Plumbers Helpers” et-al based on the family name for old world porcupines Hystricidae)
> 
> *Four-Arm’s species
> 
> * Diamond-Head’s species


	26. Turning the Tide

Chapter 26

Turning the Tide

With their new reinforcements Ben and Pierce’s teams and the Plumbers gradually began to turn the tide against their attackers. But, they still had to face the worst of their adversaries, the big squid himself, Vilgax. 

They knew he was somewhere ahead they were encountering stiffer resistance from his drone troopers, fortunately the tight confines of the space station were too tight for him to be able to bring any of his giant assassin droids in here.

Finally, they encountered him and he wasn’t alone, flanking him were some of the worst of Ben’s enemies. Sunder, Zs’Skayr, Dr. Viktor, Khyber and Aggregor.

The young heroes braced themselves for their next challenge.

They didn’t need to wait very long, “Where are Tennyson’s offspring, I want them now,” Vilgax was acting true to form, and looking at his own interests ahead of anyone’s even his supposed allies.

“Albedo, did you hear that, the way squid-face was talkin.’” Kevin whispered.

“Indeed, I did we may be able to use that against our opponents.”

“Just what I was thinkin’” Kevin agreed with a wink.

“I’m sure your pals might have somethin’ ta say about you getting your hands on the kids all for yourself, calamari-for-brains!” Kevin taunted.

“Did Vilgax mention that he once allied himself with me to defeat Ben. Of course, he ultimately betrayed me, as he will betray you!”

Albedo and Kevin’s ploy was working, these villains had to much ego and too little willingness to compromise for them to be able to cooperate for long.

“I know what you are trying to do Levin you are attempting to turn us against each other,” Vilgax accused him.

“It looks like it’s workin’ Squid-face,” Kevin taunted him.

The hostile aliens quickly turned their attention from attacking Ben’s allies and the Plumbers to each other.

They abruptly found themselves corralled by a wall of fire courtesy of Alan Albright, another young Plumber trainee who was half human half Pyronite*, he pushed them backwards towards a portable projector devised by Max and Cooper.

When activated, it pulled Vilgax, and the others interdimensionally to the Null Void.

With their leaders gone, the remaining attackers quickly surrendered, and the worst attack in the history of the Plumbers was over.

Albedo took a moment to catch his breath, and then rushed down to the infirmary with Kevin, Gwen and Max hot on his heels.

Ben was sitting up in his hospital bed with a portable monitor so he could follow the progress of the fighting. He had an alien medical device attached to his left side feeding anti-biotics and painkillers into his wound.

“How’d we do, Grandpa,” he asked Max.

“We did O.K. Ben, not great just O.K., we lost a lot of good people, including Manny.

Ben felt a lump form in his throat and he swallowed heavily, Albedo grasped his hand; Gwen began to cry and Kevin wrapped his arms around her. Max leaned against a wall trying valiantly not to cry and failing.

Manny’s team-mates, Helen and her brother Pierce; Alan and Cooper embraced and wept.

Yes, it had been a victory, Ben, Albedo and their children were safe, but it had been a costly one.

 

* Heat-Blast’s species


	27. Aftermath

Chapter-27 

Aftermath

In the days that followed the assault, the plumbers began to rebuild the space station, and there were other duties to attend to.

Everyone gathered at the memorial services for Manny, and the other fallen plumbers. Helen, Pierce, Alan, and Cooper sat in the front with Max. Behind them in the second row sat Gwen, Kevin, Rook and Albedo; Ben sat in the aisle in a wheelchair; they had left the babies with Ben’s parents.

Most of them shed quiet tears as the names were read, then Kevin pushed Ben’s wheelchair to a podium to read the eulogy Gwen had helped him prepare. He thought Pierce should do it, he had known Manny longer but Pierce couldn’t bring himself to speak in front of a group right now.

After the services for Manny and the other Plumbers they had lost, there was a wake, people embraced and spoke fondly about the friends they had lost.

Pierce stood off in a corner looking uncomfortable, no-one could safely embrace him without being impaled.

Kevin noticed this and nudged Gwen, there was a whispered conversation between them.

“Go ahead,” she told him.

“Do ya think I should, he looks uncomfortable enough already and I ain’t really the huggin’ type.”

“Just do it Kevin!”

Kevin walked over to where Pierce stood, staring awkwardly at the barely touched drink he was holding.

“Pierce,” Kevin said carefully, “Look man, I’m sorry about Manny, he was a good guy.”

“Yeah, he was,” Pierce quietly agreed.

Without any further preamble Kevin once again said “I’m sorry”, then absorbed tritanium from the space station’s walls and embraced him and offer comfort over the loss of his friend.

This was completely unexpected, he wasn’t used to getting hugs from anyone; and Kevin was exactly known as the most affectionate or sympathetic guy. It had been so long since Pierce had been able to embrace anyone that he just accepted the gesture.

Everyone noticed this, but nobody said anything until Gwen and Helen walked over to Kevin and thanked him.

“Yeah, well kinda I know what Pierce is goin’ through, when we thought we were goin’ to lose Ben, I went through the same thing.”

After the wake, Albedo took Ben and the babies back to the new, well protected, house Max instructed the Plumbers to set up for them, complete with a security system designed by Cooper.

“Ben,” Albedo asked as he wheeled him into the house, “Do you think we should make our arrangement official?”

“What do you mean, Albedo?”

“It seems like a rather foolish Human custom, but I thought you might want to do it. However, if you don’t I shall be fine with it.”

“Albedo,” Ben said in a tired pain-filled voice, “I’m really tired, and I haven’t taken any of my medication, I wanted to keep my head clear for the services; can you stop being cryptic and just tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Yes Ben, I apologize, what I am trying to ask you is,” Albedo paused and considered his next words carefully before kneeling in front of Ben, taking his hand and asking, “Ben do want us to be joined in matrimony?”

Hastily he added, “As I said if you don’t wish to, I understand; after all we practically are wed, we’ve been living and sleeping together for almost a year now and have had two children together.”

“Way to kill the mood, Albedo,” Ben said dryly, but he had a slight smile and actually wiped a tear from his eye “But yes, I will.”

“Thank you, Ben, we can start making the arrangements as soon as you’re well and after everyone has had time to grieve.”

“Sounds good, now could you roll me into the bedroom I could really use that medicine and some rest now.”

“Yes, of course, Ben,” Albedo said; and after he put the babies in the nursery that Gwen and Kevin had designed and prepared for them, he wheeled Ben into their room.

It was still strange to think about it but they were truly becoming a family together.

Just as Albedo got Ben settled into bed, a loud cry came from the room next door followed immediately by a slightly higher pitched one.

“Welcome to the family Mr. Tennyson,” Albedo said dryly but wit a smile on his face; “You too, Mr. Tennyson,” Ben said in a weak voice, but he too had a slight smile on his face.

Albedo turned down the lights to let Ben get some rest and went to see to the needs of their children.

It was still amazing to think about it, five years ago he wanted Ben dead, now they had a young family together, and he couldn’t imagine his life without Ben.

A flash of light appeared in the living room, and Azmuth stood there.

“Azmuth,” Albedo said warily, “What are you doing here.”

Albedo was more than a little nervous to see his former mentor here.

“I have been watching you closely, Albedo; you have impressed me especially during this crisis.”

“The Galvan High Council has forgiven you, and the Magisters of the Plumbers are issuing a pardon.”

“So, you’re going to allow me to return to being a Galvan,” Albedo asked and it wasn’t with hopeful expectation but nervousness.

“Do you wish to return to your original form?”

“No,” Albedo couldn’t believe it even as he said it, “I would choose to remain in this form.”

“You have chosen well my former pupil,” Azmuth told him, “I had hoped that would be your decision; you are happier and your life is better now than it ever was as a Galvan.”

“You may remain in this form and stay with Ben Tennyson if that is what you both desire.”

“It is Azmuth,” Albedo told him.

“Very well, so be it,” Azmuth said then adjusted a control on Albedo’s omnitrix, there was a flash of light and he felt a strange sensation deep in his core and moving out toward his limbs.

“You are human now, Albedo you may use this to transform into a Galvan, but it will be temporary.”

“Thank you Azmuth,” Albedo told him with genuine gratitude.

“I wish you and Ben Tennyson all the best, may you have a good life together,” Azmuth said before vanishing again.

Albedo smiled slightly then went back to the bedroom to wait for Ben to awaken so he could surprise him with the best news they’d both had since they discovered they were going to be parents.

Azmuth was right, this was going to be a good life

End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it’s finished, it has been a long journey, but it was worth the trip.
> 
> This has been the longest story I’ve written, not by word count; that goes to “Unusual Circumstances,” but in terms of the number of chapters.
> 
> Acknowledgements: Thanks to Cartoon Network and Man of Action for creating all the worlds and characters in Ben-10, including one of the most interesting villains in any animated series, Albedo.
> 
> Thank you also to all the readers who’ve favorited and reviewed this story and stuck with me during the almost three years it’s taken to right this.


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